Nocturna
by starseeker347
Summary: One-shot, fluff. A sequel to Bulletproof and Memoria en Aeterna. Nightmares plague Amaris during a rainstorm, and Raymond-G214 rushes in to defend her. Rating may go up; chapters may be added. Don't need to read Bulletproof first. RnR, please.


Author's Note: This couple seems to have taken over all of my inspiration. I just LOVE RayXAmaris! They are so sweet together! This is another short one-shot following the same characters and backstory as _Bulletproof_ and _Memoria en Aeterna_, but you don't have to read them first, though that would help with some understanding. Just a bit of fluff and sweet romance. I didn't want this to be a story itself, but it didn't fit with either _Bulletproof_ or _Memoria en Aeterna_. If I contrive more one-shots, I will post them here.

Disclaimer: Halo belongs to Bungie, etc., Raymond-G214 belongs to Drake S. Hellion, and Amaris Streenan belongs to me.

* * *

**Nocturna**

It was raining. The skies had opened and water poured down from tumbling clouds, cascading in a torrent so thick that visibility was limited, and the streets turned into rivers. Even with all his modern technology, man still could not control the weather.

Amaris stood watching the rainstorm out the window for many long minutes. It was early, but the thick clouds had darkened the skies considerably. Her evening chores were done, and a strange restlessness had settled on her. Lifting a hand, she drew the blinds, and then went to bed, falling asleep listening to the sound of the rain falling.

She had no recognition of falling unconscious. She hovered on the verge of sleep for many, many minutes, dozing yet aware of her surroundings, and then she slowly sank into sleep, her active mind creating a dreamscape that was waiting for her.

Amaris had dreamt many times of the barren planet she and Ray and the ship's crew had been stranded on after fleeing Reach, left to fight the Covenant and the horrors that had waited for them on their own. She had never really had any nightmares about the events, but she had certainly dreamed that she was back on that deserted planet several times.

The gray, steel, standard walls of a military vessel were blurred as she ran past them. She was running as fast as she could—and Amaris could run fast. She was filled with a sense of urgency. She needed to hurry, but she wasn't sure what she was hurrying from—or towards.

From behind her came a rumbling that shook the walls and floor beneath her feet, and when it faded it was replaced with a buzzing noise. She dared to look over her shoulder—and found those horrible, talon-toed insects zooming down the hall after her. If she had run fast before, she sprinted now, but the buzzing was getting closer.

And then she was suddenly running through water, and she tripped and fell, and found herself deep in that alien lake. She struggled to swim, but there simply was no up, just dark water that stretched unfathomably in all directions.

There were splashes, and then those insects were around her in the water—but now they became the angry piranhas, nipping at her, grapping her, dragging her down, and she couldn't get free and her lungs were burning, but still she tried to draw breath and scream—

XXXXX

Ray sat bolt upright in bed fully alert, the sheets gathering around his waist as Amaris' scream brought him out of the odd sort of half-sleep that he had long ago adopted to remain vigilant even when unconscious. Without thinking he simply reacted, throwing himself out of bed and retrieving the pistol from his bedside table, dashing out of his room and bursting into the one down the hall.

"Amaris!" he shouted as he entered, the door slamming against the wall. She sat up in bed with another shriek, and he trained the gun around her room but could see no threats. Nevertheless, he hurried over to the side of her bed. "It's me, it's Ray, what's wrong?" he asked, on hand reaching out to touch her shoulder.

She shocked him by practically lunging for him, grabbing him and wrapping her arms tightly around him, clinging to him as if he represented life itself. Her fear caused him to search her room again, one arm holding her to him. She was shaking like a leaf.

"What happened?" he asked in a low voice, his Spartan training kicking in. She mumbled something, but he could not make out the words. "Amaris, I don't understand."

"Bad dream." She stopped shaking, but she continued to cling to him, her face buried against his warm skin. Her tears left her eyes feeling swollen. "Ray—you can put the gun down. There's nothing you can shoot." How she knew he was still holding it aloft, pointing at any shadow that moved, when she had her eyes so tightly closed, he had no idea, but he lowered the weapon and set it to the side, bringing his other hand to rest on her back.

Amaris had rarely been so happy to see the Spartan in her life. At first, he had scared her, bursting in as he had, but seeing him had ultimately relaxed her. She trusted him to keep her safe, and even now, he somehow managed to chase off dream demons as well as physical ones. Her heart had slowed far faster than it would have if she was alone.

And she was embarrassed to have him see her like this. Her sheets were tangled around her feet and the blanket hung half on the floor; the light tank top she slept in was nearly plastered to her back, and her hair was slightly matted. She blushed slightly in the dark and slowly pulled back. As soon as she saw the room around her, she wished she had not.

The Spartan released her as soon as she pulled back even slightly. Amaris was disappointed, sometimes he was slightly too careful with her for her taste. She was distracted from her thoughts when he went to rise. She grabbed his arm.

"No, Ray, please—don't leave me alone." She felt tears rise in her eyes, yet part of her was again embarrassed. When did she become so helpless and clingy? She disregarded her thoughts as he sat down, and she hugged him again.

"But you need to get back to sleep," he protested. Amaris would have rolled her eyes had she felt up to it. Sometimes the Spartan was simply very oblivious. But she loved him for it.

"I know, and I will—but I want you to stay. Sleep here. Please, Ray?"

"If that is what you want…" He stopped when she nodded vigorously. "Alright. I'll stay."

"Thank you," Amaris whispered, her throat tight with tears again. Keeping an arm around his, she attempted to organize her sheets and blankets, and then stretched out in her bed again. Ray laid down next to her on his back, and Amaris moved over beside him, resting her head on the side of his chest. The Spartan wrapped an arm around her back and his hand covered her shoulder. Amaris couldn't resist smiling softly.

"Thank you, Ray…" she murmured as her eyelids fell closed.

XXXXX

Amaris' eyes flew open, and then she blinked rapidly as bright sunlight stung them. She pulled back and raised a hand to shadow her face. It was morning. She must have slept, though she had no recollection of falling asleep or dreaming again.

She sat up, propping herself on an elbow, and her movement made her realize there was a weight across her waist. She glanced down and suddenly remembered Ray, and turned onto her stomach and looked at the Spartan. Ray was looking back at her, propped up on one elbow himself. Amaris couldn't resist smiling at him, and turned to face him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Did you sleep?" he asked quietly. Amaris nodded, realizing as she did that she felt extremely well rested—more than she had in a very long time.

"Yes, I did. Did you? You better not have been up hourly to check the perimeter."

Ray shook his head, oddly quiet. "No…no, I wasn't. I…slept the whole night through." He sounded almost ashamed to admit it.

Amaris bit her lip. "Well that's good news."

"I shouldn't let myself get so complacent."

Amaris shook her head and lifted a hand to his cheek. The Spartan-III stilled immediately, closing his eyes at her touch and leaning into it. Gently, she leaned up and kissed his mouth, softly pressing her lips against his, tilting her head slightly. She pulled back slowly after a moment, tasting her lips and inhaling his scent, relishing in his nearness and then kissed him again, unable to resist, and he wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her back.


End file.
